Nyampinga, which translates to “beautiful women, both inside and out,” is a women’s coffee cooperative in the Nyaruguru district of Southern Rwanda. These women, who live in under-resourced communities, have shown increased dedication toward growing quality coffee and connecting with the international market in order to provide better livelihoods for themselves and their families. Since 2013, they have received training in agronomy, market access, and quality control from Sustainable Growers, an organization created with the help of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Sustainable Harvest. The result of the farmer’s hard work and knowledge has been a resounding improvement in cup quality.

 

Impact:

The women of Nyampinga receive training in agronomy, market access, and quality control from Sustainable Growers. One driver of better agronomic practices is through a program called Premium Sharing Rewards, which rewards farmers with points for attending trainings and implementing the learnings on their farms. With these points, farmers can purchase from a catalog of options, like pruning shears, cell phones, and solar lights, that they have collectively chosen. The program was developed in a respectful way to encourage further training and technical assistance, and implement those skills to produce better crops.